


I Don't Wanna Wait for the Endless Summer

by lemonhopia



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Beach Holidays, Fluff, M/M, Summer Romance, Summer Vacation, Sungjin is the dad friend who owns a chill bar, Surf instructor!Pil, Tags may change as story progresses, a lot of tsundere shit going on because it's jaepil, bribri is a surf instructor too, lifeguard!Dowoon, ot5 beach shenanigans, vlogger!jae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-21 02:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17634128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonhopia/pseuds/lemonhopia
Summary: Jae thought a summer away from the bustle of the city will give him the sense of peace he has been craving for so long.Just as he's finally able to breathe again, a flurry of blonde hair and slender limbs in a wetsuit catches his attention and takes his breath away.Or the one where travel vlogger!Jae gets unexpectedly smitten with surf instructor!Pil.





	1. Prologue - Who's Jae?

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in Jeju but not the part where they shot Day Off. Also, I obviously can't let go of blonde Wonpil. He's just too powerful.
> 
> Title from Bleach Blonde by This Century.

“And that’s it for JaeDreams season 5, this is Jae signing off, see you this fall!” Jae panned the shot to the window showing a view of the clear blue ocean in the distance then back to an extreme close-up of his face, only eyes and lips visible, waving and smiling at the camera. Then he hit the stop button on his iPhone's camera app, going back to his laptop to start editing the footage for a quick 5-minute video post to let his subscribers know about his hiatus. It's quite challenging to use an iPhone for shooting anything, but he didn’t bring his camera on purpose for this trip. 

Unlike all his other travels, he’s not here to go around filming tourist spots and restaurants and other stuff he finds interesting. He’s here to rest and have fun on his own. For a full month, there will be no cameras, no audience to follow his every move, just him and the sand and sea and sun. Well, ok. Maybe some Instagram posts here and there but that's it. He chose the perfect month too, June to July, just before the school summer break so the beach won’t be as packed as the peak of summer in August. 

It’s not like he doesn’t love the city and going wherever his feet can possibly take him. But it was becoming more and more suffocating. He may have seen a lot of the world, but he hasn’t seen much of himself. He figured he just needed to recharge, go somewhere far enough to get away but still close enough to not feel so alone. 

One exceptionally cold winter day, he finally booked a plane ticket and the space he will call home for a whole month. He took one more look at the snow covering the pavements and buildings, closed his eyes, and dreamt of sunny days ahead.

 

By lunchtime, he has finished editing his last video for the meantime and was already queued for posting on his usual timeslot at 6pm. Jae finally let out a sigh of relief as he stepped out of the apartment building and was greeted by warm sun and cool salty air. It’s strange not having any videos to film and edit after vlogging for years with almost no breaks. Not that he’s complaining though, he has waited for this vacation for so long. He took the long way walking from the tourist complex to the beach, taking time to appreciate the calm atmosphere surrounding him and the lush greens lining the pathways. 

Jae probably hasn’t smiled like this in so long, like the way his face lit up at the sight of the vast area of sand and sea in front of him. Finally, he's seeing the world in his own eyes and not for others. He stretched his arms and his back and ran all the way to edge of the beach where the waves hit the shore, savoring the perfect temperature of the water at his feet. Toes in the sandy water and arms outstretched at his side, he breathed in deeply all the fresh air his lungs can fit, hoping all his worries will be blown away as he exhales. 

His eyes scanned the sight around him. This is his favorite part of Jeju Island for a reason. There are already somewhat a lot of people around, both locals and tourists, since this is a popular beach after all. It's still not as crowded as peak beach season though so it's still good. He looked around and saw a few kids running around and chasing beach balls, couples chilling in blankets in the sand like the whole world around them doesn’t exist, and some others strolling along the beach alone with a drink in hand. 

After a few minutes of just staring at the ocean with the wind blowing in his face, he decided to walk around from one end of the beach to the other. It wasn’t a very long stretch anyway. 

Will all his days here be spent like this? He doesn't mind, really. He just hopes his mind will allow him to actually shut down and unwind and not think of the life he left behind. 

Jae settled on a spot in the sand to watch the waves, his hands sifting through the white sand flecked with red, brown, and grey. Something- or someone, rather, catches his eye. In the distance, a figure cuts through a giant wave, riding it with such grace he can't help but stare in awe. Then the wave died down and the figure came closer into view, paddling his board closer to the shore. 

Closer, until Jae was able to see his features clearly. The boy in a wetsuit got up from the water just a few feet away from him, his lithe body looking so small compared to the board he's carrying with one arm. Jae couldn't take his eyes off him as he brushed the light blonde hair away from his face, revealing a sharp jawline on sun-kissed skin. A few steps more and Jae realizes those gentle eyes and cute nose are ones he won't be able to look away from, especially when they glanced in his direction, even just for a few seconds. Then the moment was over as fast as it began when the boy walked past him and away from the shore. 

Jae gulped hard. He froze in his place in the sand. What happened to a quiet and uneventful vacation? His heart beat wildly as he watched blonde surfer boy walk away, thinking about how can someone's back still look so good. He's perfect, looking equal parts soft and fierce, and to Jae that's the most dangerous part. 

_ Holy shit, Jae, pull yourself together, you're not here to start a fling!  _

_ Huh, if that boy even deems him worthy of attention.  _

He tried to reason with himself, but he knows that will lead to nothing. He knows he will find himself here in the same spot over the next days, trying to catch even just a glimpse of blonde surfer boy.

It was that simple. His friends will totally laugh at him about how this scene is so typically Jae. Falls hard and crashes even harder. What he thought was a peaceful stroll at the beach ended up changing his life. But is it for the better? 

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took too long but aaayyye I'm back!

There's a certain kind of peace the waves hold. Even amidst their violent crashing into the shoreline, knowing that it was the same force that shaped the terrain he’s standing on is both comforting and fascinating to know. 

Jae has been spaced out staring at the waves for the past hour, and this has been his life for the past few days everytime he goes to the beach. They say you’ll eventually get tired of getting sand in your toes if you stay by the sea long enough, but that is not the case with Jae. He waited so long for this much-needed vacation and he's certain he wants to enjoy every second of it. 

Every afternoon he finds himself on the end of the beach where the surfing lessons are usually going on, and he just watches from the distance. Apparently, blonde surfer boy is an instructor. Jae hoped he wasn’t being too creepy, always lurking around the same spot everyday. There‘s just something about the way he moves, so graceful and full of passion at the same time, and like he’s commanding the waves to move according to his will.

Shall he take lessons? He found where to book them online a few days back but he wasn't sure if he would push through. It’s not like he’s only taking one because of that cute boy anyway. Jae shook the thought away. What is he, 12? It’s just that he has tried so many watersports during his travels but he hasn’t tried surfing before.   
That’s it.

Finally, after days of contemplating, he scrolled through the available dates and times on their website. Lucky, he found one for tomorrow. It’s only a 3-hour session, he can definitely manage. 

His gaze remained fixed on the tourists getting lessons by the shore, taking note of what to expect during his turn. Wetsuit, ok, he packed one. It's actually for diving but it will do. He’s already good at swimming too, so he’s fine with falling into the water. If only he was v logging this trip, he would have definitely brought a Go Pro board mount. 

No matter how hard he tries, his eyes still keep going back to blonde surfer boy so he just gave up and walked to the other end of the beach. Wow, he’s definitely a mess. Maybe he should just give up and go paragliding instead?

If only he had support from his friends. Kicking the sand softly as he gets up, he headed to his new favorite cafe with big reclining chairs facing the sea. He thought about how everyday, he keeps noticing something new, like how blonde surfer boy looked so intimidating at first but he outshines the sun when he smiles.

_ Woah. Jae. Get ahold of yourself. You don’t even know this guy’s name. _

The sea did get his mind off some things, but it gave him a lot more other things to think about.

 

“Welcome, you must be Jae?” A guy with fox-like eyes and chubby cheeks greeted him. He’s seen this guy before, he’s always with blonde surfer boy, an instructor as well. Jae must admit, he’s cute too. “Your instructor will be here in 10 minutes,”

It’s the day of his lessons and he’s been unnecessarily jittery for someone so adventurous, but he’s trying his best to not let it show. He’s just excited, he kept telling himself. If Jimin was here, she would never let him live this down. That girl can read through him like glass and sometimes it's not for the better. 

“Yeah I'm Jae, nice to meet you… Ah, I must be too early,” 

“Nah it’s okay, better than late,” Fox boy’s eyes almost disappear when he smiles. He held out his hand in introduction. “I’m Brian,”

Brian’s gaze shifted to something behind Jae's back as he let go of his hand and he couldn't help but turn around to see what it was.

“Oh, here's your instructor,”

Or who. 

Behind him is blonde surfer boy, smiling brightly like they’ve known each other forever. Judging by how confident he is, he must be like this with everyone.

“I’m Wonpil... Jae?”

“Yep, please don’t be too hard on me,”

“Tell the ocean that, not me,” In no time, Jae found himself smiling and laughing the same way. Together, they observed the waves for a while. They look strong, crashing relentlessly into the shore. At first, he found it scary but seeing the other surfers riding the curls effortlessly like they were made to be one with the sea unnerved him somehow. 

Their eyes met for a few moments, catching him off-guard. Wonpil’s eyes are even more mesmerizing up close. Gusts of wind blew his light blonde hair off his face, exposing his forehead scrunching ever so slightly as his free hand shielded his eyes from the sun.

“Let’s go?” His lips, small and perfect, curled into a smile, and Jae felt his heart skip a beat.

This is gonna be the longest three hours of his life.

 

It’s no good being nervous in water, so Jae gathered the courage to stay cool and collected. Besides, it was hard not to get infected by Wonpil’s sunny aura so he was able to relax eventually in his presence, despite his heart betraying him at the most inappropriate times.

“Okay? Like this?” He’s laying face down on the board like Wonpil instructed him to, looking up at him for approval. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, unsure of whether it’s because of wearing a full body wetsuit under the scorching sun or something else he’s trying really hard to push out of his head. 

“Move a little over here,” Wonpil gestured to his left then pointed to the white line running down the middle of the board. “Your body must be aligned with this line,”

“And my feet to the end of the board,”

“Yeah, you’re doing great,”

“Because this is the easy part,” They both laughed at Jae’s impending struggle.

“Now push yourself up,” 

Jae tried a few times, getting the hang of pushing himself up swiftly from the board. There were a few failed attempts, mostly because of him losing his balance and not being able to catch himself on time. Damn, at this rate he will always fall into the water the moment he tries to get up. 

“Move your arms to chest level so you’ll push yourself off at the right angle, don’t position yourself like you’re doing push-ups,” He felt a warm hand tap his shoulder.

He now understands why Wonpil’s students seem to be genuinely having fun during his lessons. And doing well too. He’s incredibly hands-on and engaging, always making sure no one is left out. This time though, Jae is his only student and he has Wonpil’s full attention. Is that… Is that good news? 

Jae didn’t give up, trying again as Wonpil instructed. Back foot bent, front foot forward, weight on front foot. He replayed Wonpil's words in his head. It helps that Wonpil's voice is one of the most beautiful sounds he's ever heard. 

He can push himself up a lot more smoothly now. Or at least he's confident that he can. 

“Steady, steady, hold out your arms at this angle,” 

Wonpil’s delicate fingers touching his arm and guiding it to the right place, skin surprisingly so soft against his, sent shivers down his spine and made him fall over. Thankfully, Jae didn’t fall all the way down, but he still lost his balance and pulled Wonpil down with him. Since Wonpil was a few inches shorter and had a smaller frame, he was obviously not enough support to hold on to. They stumbled, Jae grabbing Wonpil’s arm for support before he was able to stop their descent by planting his feet firmly on the ground. 

Jae’s eyes widened when he realized how close Wonpil was, jaw hanging slightly open, about to apologize but unable to find the right words.

These close encounters really need to stop before he completely loses it. 

“Woah, careful!” Wonpil, on the other hand, looked totally unfazed. He just chuckled softly, shaking his head and looking like he's trying to hold back from bursting into laughter.

_ Wow, thanks a lot for the confidence boost.  _

“Sorry, holy shit, I lost my balance, are you okay?” He held Wonpil’s gaze for a few seconds before letting go, scratching at the back of his head. If he looked dumb before, he certainly looked extra dumb now. 

“It's okay, I'm fine,” He helped Jae get back on his feet properly. “A bit more space here,” Wonpil pointed to the space between his feet. 

_ And that smile needs to tone down if he wants me to focus.  _

A few more tries and Jae did actually improve. 

“Great, let’s take this to the water!” 

“Already? Wait oh my god am I really ready? Are you sure?”

“You’re a pretty fast learner, you can handle it,” Wonpil gave him a tap on the back. “The last two hours are really for learning by practice,” 

_ Breathe.  _ Jae willed his lungs to cooperate as Wonpil helped him strap his foot to the tail of the board, like most beginners do so they won't lose their board when they fall off. He didn't realize he was in a daze until Wonpil called him to the water, and he followed wordlessly albeit mirroring the bright smile on Wonpil’s face. 

A sudden sense of freedom surged through his veins as he paddled away from the shore, waiting for a wave to come their way. Waves in this beach are quite strong, not really beginner-level, but they're popular with both newbies and pros alike. 

“Head facing land!” He heard Wonpil call from behind him and he shot him a thumbs up. 

Jae has never felt so in tune with the ocean, like he's one with the water, until today. Hot sun and cool water filled his senses. The peak of the wave he was watching came closer and closer, and he readied to push himself of the board. 

As expected, he fell off the board before even getting to stand up. 

“Ooooooh! Good try!” Wonpil high-fived him on the way back to the shore, both boys laughing their hearts out. 

“Let's wait for the others to finish first, before we catch the next wave,” 

They made it back to the take-off point and Wonpil took the time to explain some basic etiquette and important stuff to remember since they won't be the only ones trying to catch some waves. 

 

On his fourth attempt, finally, Jae started to feel more in tune with the waves beneath his feet. He felt the movements of the water with his body so he was able to move along with it. There it comes again, another swell, he prepared to push himself up on the board, just a little more and he's on his feet. 

“YYYEEEESSSS! LEZZGETIT!” Jae exclaimed as he held his posture proudly when reached the highest point, staying up for a solid minute before falling off his board once the wave slowed down. He swam towards Wonpil after finding his board, grinning proudly at his achievement. 

“Woooo yes! Great job!” Wonpil gave him a proud smile, reaching for his arm and guiding him away from other surfers about to conquer the incoming wave. 

“Felt great, right?”

“Yeah, I'm definitely doing this again, maybe buy my own board, maybe live here,” Hyped and ecstatic, Jae couldn't keep still as he awaited his turn by the take-off point. It wasn't just the ocean giving Jae a high though. Wonpil's giggles are (he hates to admit it) the cutest and he can't get them off his head. 

“You're doing great for a beginner, just practice more on your balance so you can stay up for longer,”

Balance. Jae focused on his balance the most since it seems to be his weakness. Or maybe Wonpil is his weakness? Oh fuck it. He's just delusional. He's trying to ride the waves here, not Wonpil. 

“Ah I hope I can, the sea was really rough today,” A nervous chuckle escaped him, suddenly distracted by his unwelcome thoughts about the boy beside him. He felt Wonpil's hand pat his arm reassuringly and look up to him with a soft gaze and gentle smile. 

“Smooth seas don't make good surfers, you'll see.”

Jae thought the rolling waves were the strongest force existing around him when he arrived in Jungmun Beach. Not until this storm of golden hair and honey skin and chocolate eyes swept him away.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?  
> [CC](https://curiouscat.me/lemonhopia)  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/lemonhopia)


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